Page 7 of Steamy Dunk
"She lived in my building," Parker said. "She's actually an interior designer and she designed this place!"
He said it with such pride that Violet couldn't help but feel her entire body flush with heat -- and he really did seem proud to be with her.
"Wait, are you the one who picked out the sconces behind the bar?"
Parker leaned over, bending his lanky frame down to be closer to her. "I told you she would ask about the light things."
And then Shalee was off asking her all kinds of questions about design and why Violet had chosen certain pieces in the restaurant.
"Wait, did you choose the purple wallpaper because your name is Violet?"
She laughed at Shalee's joke. "I promise, it was just a coincidence."
There was another round of drinks and some fancy passed appetizers and a buffet at some point. And every time, Parker was right next to her. He asked her questions and talked to her about her job. It felt weird because she sort of knew about his. After all, everyone in Chicago heard of the Chicago Ignition. They even won the championship a few years ago.
It all felt so natural, as if they were on a date but not on a date. But no matter what happened throughout the night, she always felt like Parker was watching out for her even though he wasn't standing right next to her.
After dinner, she walked into the lounge area with Shalee, Tyler, and Parker, sitting down on a long sofa that she had picked out for the space with cocktail tables she commissioned from a local furniture maker with explicit instructions to have a shiny surface that wasn't too shiny.
"I love this place," Shalee said as she sunk into the sofa. "Everything in this room is just put together in my exact style. Wait." She sat up and grabbed Violet's arm. "Did you design this space too?"
Violet saw the smile spread across Parker's face, again it was that look like he was proud of her and proud to be her date. "I designed this space."
Shalee let out a note of excitement and started bouncing on the sofa's cushion. "I've been wanting to design a room in our house just for me. Do you think you can do that?"
"Oh, hell!" Tyler exclaimed from the other side of the table. "You had to bring an interior designer with you."
"Not just any interior designer," Parker said. "A very talented one."
Tyler rolled his eyes. "A talented one that's going to cost me alot of money. You owe me a drink." Then he turned and smiled at Violet. "Don't tell Shalee -- or Parker -- but I will pay you well."
"It'll be our secret," Violet said loudly enough for everyone at the table to hear.
Parker shook his head playfully and winked at Violet before walking off to the bar with his teammate to get them more drinks.
Yeah, tonight was fun and Violet was glad she came along with Parker. Would it be wrong if she made this a thing? Because she couldn't see any downsides to that.
What she could see was a woman in a short, tight red dress slinking her way with her eyes directly on Violet.
"Oh, fuck," she heard Shalee mutter.
"Hi, Shalee!" the woman exclaimed. "It's so great to see you again. It's been so long!"
"Hi, Katherine."
Violet could tell Shalee's enthusiasm was totally contrived as this Katherine woman pushed ahead without seeming to notice.
"I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend, Dr. Tom."
Huh. That was kind of odd for a person to refer to the boyfriend with their doctor title, right?
That's when Violet looked over Dr. Tom's shoulder and caught Parker's eye at the bar. He smiled at her and gave her a little nod, then his eyes drifted over the rest of the scene that was laid out in front of him. His smile faded and was replaced with a look of shock.
That's when Violet put it all together. Katherine was Parker's ex and Dr. Tom was the doctor neighbor she was cheating on Parker with.
"I don't think we've met before." Violet was pulled out of her thoughts by the woman in the red dress staring at her now. "I'm Katherine."
"Uh, Violet."
